If you have just arrived at this website, you might find it to be rather
complex, even chaotic. So, let me explain what this website is all about, what
it does and what it does not do, and how to use it.

Background to this Website

Firstly, this is my personal website; it's not connected to any school
or organization. I write this website as an interest or hobby in my spare
time and so far, I get no income from it. I write it myself, even though I
am not an expert at creating a website.

It's primarily written for Chinese people who are preparing for the
IELTS test, although about 10% of my visitors are from other countries. My
knowledge of the Chinese language is just basic and (at the moment) I do not
use other people to translate the web pages since many of the web pages
change quite frequently.

The website is mostly about the IELTS Speaking test, although I have a
small section on the Writing test, which I might expand in the future. As
well as that, you will be able to find resources on the internet to help you
improve your listening ability and other skills for the whole IELTS test, by
going to some of the websites I recommend on the page, 'Studying
English on the Internet'. You can also find similar information by going
to some of the sites on this page: 'General
IELTS Links' (which is listed as, "Internet Information about IELTS" in
the drop-down menu on the front page.)

There are some things that I assume about you, the reader.

First, I assume your English reading ability is at least Band
5.0 IELTS standard (or a "strong" Band 4.5). If you are much lower
than that, you will find it a bit difficult to read my English. Use
the Google translation function at, 翻译,
if and when you have any problems.

Second, I assume that you have some
background knowledge or understanding of the IELTS Speaking test. If
you don't, you can go to some of the websites I have listed on this
page, 'General
IELTS Links' and read about the test, in Chinese if you want.
You also should first read the following two pages in order to
better understand the test:
Speaking Test Summary and
The
Grading Criteria.

Third, I assume that you are mature
enough, and have the necessary study skills to study by yourself in
order to improve your English and to prepare for the test. This
includes the ability to handle a lot of information, such as the
large number of Part 3 questions. If you have just finished high
school, you might not be used to a situation where you, not the
teacher, decide what to study and how to study it. But if you hope
to be a university student overseas, you need to have this maturity
and these skills. Nevertheless, since I am the teacher and the IELTS
expert and you are the student, I will give you some suggestions on
what to study and how much time to spend on it.

Finally, I assume that you have
more than just one or two days before your IELTS test. If you do
only have a couple of days, I explain on the page called, "Study
Guide to this Website" what to do.

The Contents of this Website

The website is broadly divided into two sections: a) Lists of real topics and
questions that are being used in the test right now and, b) Information to help
you improve your real, overall speaking ability and your ability to speak well
in the test.

a) Information about the Real Topics and Questions

This information is mostly what I find on the internet, especially at
3gbbs.com and 51ielts.com. You cannot assume that it's 100% complete and
accurate – it's just my judgment, based on my experience.

The information about the real questions is listed in the menu on the front
page under the sections, "Part 1" and "Parts 2/3".

To go straight to the current Part 1 topics and questions, in the drop-down
menu choose "Current Part 1 Questions". At the moment, it is this page:

(If you have more than just a few days before your test, I strongly
suggest you actually speak an answer to the Part 2 topics into a tape recorder
the first time you read them. Use a clock to give yourself 1
minute, and no more, of thinking time and no more than two minutes to speak your
answer. This activity, giving you the experience of the real test, is very
valuable.)

Note: This website does not
give you answers that you can memorize and use in the test. If I wrote answers
and put them on this website, those answers would quickly become useless
and even damaging to you. This is because the examiners would be given a list of
these answers and, if they heard a candidate speak one of those answers, the
examiners would then reduce the candidate's score. Not only that,
examiners can usually recognize answers that are 100% memorized and, if they
hear such answers, they will both reduce your score and ask you more difficult
questions than usual. Nevertheless, if you read this website carefully,
especially any notes that I have written about some questions, you will be able
to find several examples of model answers that you can use or adapt.

b) Information to help you improve your real, overall speaking ability
and your ability to speak in the test.

Basically, this information is found in the drop-down menu on the front page
under the heading, "Improving Your English".

There's a lot of different information here to help you but if you only have
a short period before your test, you won't have time to study everything. I have
written a separate page, called "Study
Guide to this Website" that you can use to decide how to best use this
website. Depending on how much time people have, they will use this website in
different ways.